Page 20 of Taken by the Ripper (Time for Monsters #9)

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ank water and musty walls greeted her senses first, followed by the squeal of a metal door and then a resounding bang as it slammed shut behind them.

Whispering voices echoed on either side of her as the vampire dragged her forward by hands bound by scratchy rope.

A blindfold continued to cover her eyes, but if they’d been open, she was sure she would find an eerie darkness awaiting her on the other side of the velvety fabric.

A couple hisses bounced off what sounded like brick ceilings. Flutters of air passed her, and the small hairs on her arms raised when she sensed what could only be predators. Smelling her. Tasting the very air she breathed.

Vampires.

Claude had only mentioned vampires briefly during their conversation. Aside from what she’d learned from books and terrifying stories meant to scare children into obedience, she had no idea what they were really like.

And she didn’t want to.

Unfortunately, she had no choice now.

A touch as brief as the kiss of a breeze guided her forward until the slapping water against her shoes transitioned into something soft and mushy that stank like damp carpet.

Another vampire hissed as she passed. The brush of a cold hand against her throat caused her to jump and stifle a scream.

But the possessive caress ended with a growl behind her, the feeling of a gust of wind near her face, and then a whimper in front of her as if someone had gotten punched. Or scratched. She wasn’t sure.

The air turned chillier, enough for her to long to rub her hands up and down her arms to gather warmth to her body, but her wrists were bound together, restricting her movements.

A light touch on the small of her back guided her forward, and her arm brushed against something that felt like a cold metal rod. Finally, someone tugged at her bindings and freed her hands, followed by the light pull of the velvety handkerchief around her eyes.

The handkerchief fell free, and she blinked several times to adjust to the darkness caving in on all sides.

She stood within a large cage in the middle of the room, dank stone walls surrounding her.

One exit lay in front of her, along with another behind, one she assumed she had entered through judging by how many vampires gathered near it.

She released a startled gasp as a woman appeared suddenly in front of her, not a single brunette strand of her hair out of place in the bun piled atop her head. Her quick, airy touch searched her body, so light that Clara hardly felt the pressure at all.

And then the woman’s body evaporated into mist, reappearing on the opposite end of the bars moments before the cage door squealed shut, and another vampire turned the lock with a key.

The woman who had searched her dipped her head. “Lord Ferdinand,” she said, addressing the leader, “she has scalpels and a needle in her pocket.”

“Are they made of silver?”

“Well, no.”

“Then let her keep them if it gives her a false sense of safety.”

Clara rushed toward the bars and gripped them tightly with desperation burning in each finger. “What about my sister? You promised to take me to Mazie.”

The vampire chuckled, his fangs almost glowing in the dim light of the prison. “And I have. But the question you must ask yourself… Does she want to leave?”

A shuddering breath escaped her lips as her gaze darted from silhouette to silhouette, trying in vain to find one that might belong to Mazie. “You have me. Now I demand that you release her.”

Again, he laughed, his eyes flashing red with thirst. “She was never my prisoner. But you, on the other hand… There is always an exception for you.”

“You promised you wouldn’t hurt her,” a small voice said on the opposite side of the room.

Clara squinted her eyes as if the simple action might allow her to see better in the darkness. But all she found was a feminine silhouette illuminated by a torch flickering its light behind her.

Dread fell to the very pits of her stomach. Her fingers stiffened around the bars in a similar way her neck refused to turn, and her eyes were unable to blink. “Mazie?” she croaked.

The male vampire answered, “And I haven’t hurt her, dear Mazie. I only want her ghoul. I promise she will come to no harm.”

Shaking her head, Clara continued to stare at the woman in disbelief. Her mind whirred quickly, unable to stop long enough for her to make sense of the situation.

But then the figure took several slow steps forward, entering the aura of light emanating from the torches on either side of the room. Mazie’s long blonde hair tumbled in waves down her back. Her thin eyebrows were furrowed, her gaze glued to the ground. And then she glanced up.

Clara’s heart skidded to a stop, ice slowly crawling across the tough, warm membrane.

Mazie’s eyes were red.

“What have they done to you?” she whispered, but the small sound echoed off the walls, nonetheless.

When her sister didn’t answer immediately, Ferdinand flicked his wrist, and many of the others disappeared from the room as quickly as a light snuffing out, leaving behind nothing but wisps of smoke. Only a few remained.

Finally, Mazie answered, “Only what I’ve asked them to do. Once this business with Whitechapel is done, we are relocating somewhere better. Nicer.” She paused, biting her lip hesitantly with the tip of a single elongated fang. “You could come with us.”

“These are vampires, Mazie!” Clara hissed, glancing cautiously between each creature. “You don’t know what you’re doing. You don’t know what you’re risking.”

Mazie balled her hands into fists, her arms shaking. “We were going to lose the house.”

She blinked several times to try to make sense of her sister’s words. “What are you talking about? I’ve kept the finances under control.”

But her sister shook her head profusely.

“The lender came by while you were gone several years ago. He said that after Papa’s death, he had shown us mercy by putting off collecting property expenses.

He threatened to make us back pay for previous years of unpaid expenses.

Or I could work for him, and he needn’t bother needling you for money. ”

The defeated look on her face told her what this work was without even opening her mouth.

Clara sagged against the bars, her head drooping. “You could have come to me. You should have come to me. I could have dealt with this.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Mazie shaking her head. “You think I don’t see what you do. You think I don’t help. I couldn’t burden you with this. I knew how upset it would make you.”

“But…” She wasn’t sure what she could say. Not after this terrible confession. “How long have you been…” She lifted her head and gestured to all of Mazie. “…this?”

Mazie hissed and flashed her pointed fangs.

“You took away my one chance at escaping that terrible life, Clara. You stole Claude’s affections.

I had to figure out something else. Because I couldn’t stand…

I couldn’t do it anymore.” She gestured to the male vampire.

“Ferdinand found me. He turned me at my own request, and I am no longer forced to lie on my back for strangers.”

Squeezing her eyes shut, Clara made no attempt to bat away the guilt climbing over her body like thorny vines.

Even after everything she’d done to shelter her sisters, the harsh world had found them, anyway.

She could not save them. And now? She had needlessly put Jack in danger by allowing herself to get captured.

She could not save anyone. All she managed to do was bring more harm upon the people she cared for.

Physicians vowed to help, not hinder. But if she couldn’t even help her own family?

What did that make her?

Useless.

The vampires turned to leave, and in a desperate attempt to keep Mazie with her longer, she said, “All the stories I’ve heard of vampires are that they love to live up their lavish lifestyles. If I didn’t know better, I’d say we’re in a sewer.”

Ferdinand snorted. “In Whitechapel? The only people living lavish lifestyles are those who cast too large of a shadow that they can’t see the people beneath. This city deserves what’s coming to them. Now, if your ghoul would only show up, we can finally begin this in earnest.”

“Why?” she croaked when it felt as if her throat were clogged with impenetrable mucus. “Why are you doing this?”

“To give us the life we deserve. When the city is in chaos, when those people casting large shadows are dealt with permanently, we can intercede. Take advantage of that chaos. Climb our way to the top when there is no one to interfere.” He shared a small smile with Mazie.

“First Whitechapel. Then London. We’ll be an unstoppable force. ”

“And what of the rabid ghouls running amuck?”

Ferdinand chuckled. “How did you think we’ll rise to the top? By saving the city from our own creations.” He held his hand out in front of him and inspected his nails. “Unfortunately, there will be plenty of casualties. But change never happens without a little bloodshed.”

Clara shook her head with disbelief and glanced at her sister. “You can’t possibly go along with this, Mazie.”

A flash of red eyes accompanied her sister’s blatant anger, her jaw snapping down to show off her fangs. “Anything is better than what I have endured. I don’t care what it takes. I’m not lying on my back any longer.”

She sagged further against the bars in absolute defeat. “Forgive me. You never should have had to endure such a fate.”

The defiance and caution momentarily melted from Mazie’s countenance, but her defensive walls quickly returned as she turned on her heel with a huff. “I’m sorry it had to come to this. If there had been any other way…”

Mazie’s words trailed off, leaving the smallest bit of room for… For what? Familial connection? Because that had been absent for years, it seemed.

“Don’t hurt my ghoul,” she begged instead. “He…he’s important to me.”